Chapter 267: Ambush

Following Wei Zhuang's order, over a hundred Hong Sect disciples mounted their black horses in unison; the sound of hooves thundered like rolling peals of lightning, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

Their eyes were resolute, their momentum like a rainbow. Wei Zhuang rode the lead warhorse, his gaze deep as he looked toward the distance—the direction of Luoshui Canyon, and their destination for this trip.

As the troop slowly advanced, Wei Zhuang specifically arranged for a reliable and simple, honest Black Ear member to take his personal letter to Cheng Feng and quietly leave the ranks, galloping toward the direction of Qingqingxi County.

In the letter, Wei Zhuang concisely explained the plan to head to Luoshui Canyon, as well as some preliminary ideas for subsequent actions, hoping that Cheng Feng could provide the necessary support and cooperation from the Prefecture City side.

Wei Zhuang knew that Cheng Feng's strength was not to be underestimated, but Wei Zhuang was somewhat uneasy about that trump card of his.

It all depended on how Cheng Feng, this Sect Master... this master, would decide.

Luoshui Canyon,

is famous for its precipitous terrain and sunken topography.

As the troop delved deeper, the surrounding scenery gradually became desolate and bleak. The mountains rose and fell, the cliffs were like cut stone, as if they were a barrier deliberately carved by nature, isolating all the clamor and disturbance of the outside world from this land.

Upon arriving at the outskirts of Luoshui Canyon, Wei Zhuang gathered all the disciples once more for a final mobilization and deployment. His words were sonorous and powerful, letting the disciples know that this was a formidable opponent, requiring everyone to perk up and not underestimate the other side.

The night was like ink, deep and lonely; the occasional cry of a bird in the forest added a touch of seclusion and mystery.

The intelligence from Golden Breath Pavilion had detailed the return route of Lin Dong, this Organ Refining Martial Artist, causing a string to tighten in the hearts of Wei Zhuang and his Hong Sect disciples. They knew that the encounter tonight or tomorrow would be a contest of strength and flesh.

Lin Dong, as a powerhouse of the Organ Refining Realm, had a retinue of servants that could not be underestimated. Among the twenty-plus servants, several were Bone Refining or Blood Refining Martial Artists, and the rest were all experts of the Skin Refining Realm.

Such a configuration was enough to make many people in the Prefecture City tremble with fear.

Wei Zhuang's Sword Hall was also not to be underestimated; it was an elite team that gathered the strength of one county and three gangs, bringing together numerous experts. Among them, there were five Lian Xue Martial Artists, and the rest were all standouts of the Skin Refining Realm.

On such a night, the Hong Sect disciples did not appear restless because of the impending battle. On the contrary, they maintained a high degree of calm and focus, silently eating the dried meat and rations in their hands and drinking clear water to maintain their physical strength and mental state at their peak. Only by maintaining sufficient combat power could they remain invincible in the coming showdown.

The silence in the forest was broken by the occasional sound of chewing and whispering, but these all showed the determination in the hearts of the Hong Sect disciples.

The merit system of the Hong Sect manifested at this moment; everyone feared neither battle nor slaughter, and everyone needed to extract what they required from the combat mission.

Wei Zhuang stood at the front of the troop, his gaze like a torch, scanning the face of every disciple.

Watching the burning fighting spirit in the eyes of the Hong Sect disciples, Wei Zhuang was full of confidence.

"Report to the Sect Master!" The urgent voice of a scout from the front pierced the tranquility of the night. He lowered his voice to avoid alerting the approaching target and reported urgently to Wei Zhuang: "It has been confirmed ahead that a troop is moving in our direction, and the characteristics match the intelligence!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhuang's eyes instantly turned sharp as an eagle's. He waved his hand quickly, his gesture concise and powerful, signaling all disciples to immediately enter a state of concealment and prepare to meet the coming battle.

The Sword Hall disciples were well-trained and quickly, silently dispersed behind the surrounding bushes and rocks, leaving only pairs of vigilant eyes locked onto the movement ahead.

As time passed, that troop gradually emerged from the night; there were Martial Artists riding horses to scout the path both in front and behind, all dressed in Lin Family attire—it was indeed Lin Dong and his servants.

They seemed not to have noticed the danger lurking around, maintaining their original pace and advancing with considerable caution, occasionally even audible in their low-voiced conversation.

In the carriage in the middle of the troop, an old man with cold eyes dozed in the carriage, pondering the scene after returning to the Prefecture City quickly.

Wei Zhuang watched all this, a cold and resolute smile hooking the corner of his mouth. He knew deeply that the calm of this moment was merely the silence before the storm.

He turned slowly and whispered his final order to the disciples behind him: "Wait until they fully enter our ambush range, then listen for my signal. We strike together, ensuring a hit on the first attempt, leaving no survivors."

The disciples nodded one after another to show they understood; their heartbeats accelerated and their blood boiled, waiting only for Wei Zhuang's order to transform into sharp blades and strike directly at the enemy's heart.

The night wind brushed past, bringing a hint of chill, yet it could not blow away the determination and hot blood in their hearts.

Closer, even closer—just as Wei Zhuang was about to order the attack, an accident occurred.

In the darkness to the side of the Hong Sect's ambush, a group of men in black emerged from the shadows; they charged toward Lin Dong's troop without the slightest hesitation.

Wei Zhuang was startled; when did these people appear? Could they be an arrangement made by Lin Dong in secret?

Facing this sudden turn of events, Wei Zhuang was startled but not panicked. He quickly adjusted his strategy, a deep light flickering in his eyes. He realized that the appearance of these men in black made his original plan complicated.

"Everyone, stay vigilant, but do not act rashly." Wei Zhuang gave a new instruction to the disciples in a low voice, while his gaze remained locked on the two sides in the fierce battle, trying to capture more information from it.

But soon he discovered that these men in black were not Lin Dong's people; on the contrary, their target was Lin Dong.

It could be seen that although the men in black were few in number, their strength was not trivial; they were basically all of the Bone Refining Realm, their strikes were ruthless, and they threw darts from a distance, instantly killing several servants.

The guard Martial Artists nearby saw this, their expressions changed, and they immediately drew their Swords and shouted "Enemy attack," engaging in a fierce battle with the men in black. Both sides traded blows, and for a time, it was hard to determine the winner.

In the carriage, Lin Dong, this powerful Organ Refining Martial Artist, still sat in the carriage with a light and breezy air,

as if he had the situation well in hand, as if all of this before his eyes—this sudden attack—was within his calculations.

Wei Zhuang frowned, carefully observing the situation before him. He had originally planned to take advantage of the chaos to ambush Lin Dong, but now it seemed these men in black might become a variable. He decided to remain still for the time being and continue to watch, seeing how the situation would develop.

The battle between the men in black and Lin Dong and his servants was exceptionally intense; every move and every style was a desperate, life-or-death tactic.

Among those servants, although the Bone Refining and Blood Refining Martial Artists resisted with all their might, under the ruthless methods of the men in black, the Lin Family guards still gradually fell one by one.